In short
Citronellol is a terpene alcohol that occurs in rose and geranium oils. It gives a fresh, rosy note and is one of the main materials in rose accords.
What Citronellol smells like
Citronellol is one of the backbone rose alcohols: fresh, clean and rosy, with a waxy, slightly leathery undertone, a lightly green and lemon-like facet and a dewy impression. A classic perfumery review describes it as softer and rounder than geraniol and more directly suggestive of rose; a glossary calls it less dense than geraniol, which is warmer, sweeter and fruitier. Its two mirror-image forms differ — the laevo form softer and more rose-like, the dextro form more lemongrass-like and intense. It is one of the 26 fragrance allergens individually named in EU cosmetics law.
- Leading note
- Fresh rose
- Supporting facets
- Waxy, lemony-green
- Faint facets
- Leathery
- Character
- Fresh, clean, soft, dewy
What makes Citronellol distinctive
The fresh, dewy side of rose. Geraniol is the sweeter, warmer, fruitier rose alcohol; citronellol is cleaner and greener, and the more literal rose petal.
How Citronellol is used
A backbone of rose and other floral accords, and a heart material across fine fragrance, soap and cosmetics.
Typical role: backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord).
How Citronellol differs from similar materials
- Geraniol
- A classic review finds citronellol softer and rounder and more directly rose; geraniol is warmer, sweeter and fruitier. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Tetrahydrogeraniol
- Tetrahydrogeraniol is a flatter, waxier, very stable rose; citronellol is fresher and more natural.
- Phenoxanol
- One glossary describes Phenoxanol as greener than citronellol, with a mineral-aquatic edge; citronellol is the classic fresh rose. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Citronellyl Acetate
- The acetate is fruitier — rose with pear and lime; citronellol is the cleaner, dewier rose.
An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
A declarable allergen with an IFRA Standard. The l-isomer (rhodinol-type) is considered finer than racemic grades.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Floral / Green
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 106-22-9
- Molecular formula
- C10H20O
- Molecular weight
- 156.26 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-ol
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 8842, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Citronellol:
- "Citronellol" — Restriction, 49th Amendment, published 2020-01
Limits differ by product category and are set out in the Standard itself; this page does not reproduce them. The list above reflects the library as read on 19 October 2026.
Citronellol is one of the 26 fragrance allergens listed individually in Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (label name: Citronellol), which must be named on cosmetic labels above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 extended the list; see the fragrance allergens list.
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (1,657 reports): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (99.6% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (95.7% of reports); H319 causes serious eye irritation (65.1% of reports); H411 toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects (15.8% of reports). A skin sensitiser classification concerns handling the neat material and the dose in a finished product; the IFRA Standards, where they apply, set the limits. Unless it is harmonised, this is the notifiers' own classification, not a binding one.
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Geraniol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — rosy, sweet, citrus, fresh
-
Phenylethyl Alcohol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rose, honeyed, soft, floral
-
Rose Oxide
Aroma chemical · Floral / Metallic — metallic, green, geranium, rosy
-
Geranium Oil
Essential oil · Floral / Green — rosy, green, minty, fresh
-
Citronellyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Fruity — fruity, rosy, fresh, lime
Citronellol is also suggested as a partner on the pages for 1-Nonanol, Geranium Absolute, Geranyl Butyrate, Mefranal, Phenoxyethyl Isobutyrate and Rosalva.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 26 published formulas
Citronellol is an ingredient in 12 perfume formulas, 12 accords and 2 bases in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Citronellol
Is Citronellol natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Citronellol may be made by synthesis or obtained from natural sources, so check the supplier's specification if the distinction matters to you.
What is the CAS number of Citronellol?
106-22-9. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Citronellol?
Citronellol is used in 26 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Asphalt Peony, Bell Glass and Blackcurrant Signal. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is Citronellol covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Citronellol" — Restriction, 49th Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 8842, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- IFRA — Standards Library, read 19 October 2026.
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III.
- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists — review of rose alcohols — published literature.
- IFF — Citronellol — manufacturer's description.
- Premiere Peau — Citronellol — published perfumery reference.
- Scentspiracy — Citronellol 95 — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.